Lisa Gerard-Sharp discovers that skippering your own boat is the best way to see Venice at a leisurely pace – and it’s easier than you’d think… Henry James thought that, “Everyone interesting, appealing, melancholy, memorable or odd” gravitated towards Venice. That’s our lame excuse – we must be “the odd”. We are an accidental all-female […]
You could look at this photo hundreds of time and each time find something new on such an old and detailed building. Win and Rosie Sargent, Tacoma, Washington, USA “Another day took us up to the hills, to Bussana Vecchia, an old village originally destroyed by an earthquake in 1887. The town itself is a […]
Thinking of renting a holiday home? Or buying one to rent? Villa in Umbria Umbria, also called the ‘Green Heart of Italy’, is the landlocked region next to Tuscany, a popular holiday destination. Rolling hills with vineyards and olive trees, the fourth largest lake in Italy and a serious mountain range combine to make for […]
Sardinia’s prehistoric past is impossible to ignore thanks to the numerous Bronze Age megaliths that litter the island’s beautiful landscape The largest of Sardinia’s ‘giants’ tombs’ (tombe di giganti), Li Lolghi, is a prehistoric communal burial site constructed around 4,500 years ago. Over 300 of these magnificent megalithic structures were built on the island from […]
It can be hard to find a gift that throws into the mix a bit of luxury, perhaps a touch of style and something that’s an all round treat. Italia! have investigated all the options and here is the top list, hopefully this will make it a lot easier to choose something perfect for everyone… For Her Spread Eat Repeat Giandiuso […]
If Italy is truly the land of love, then what better place in the world can there possibly be to take your vows and say sì sì? We just love Italian weddings… Creative Wedding The Important details any wedding planner needs to know Britta from Creative Wedding explains what a wedding planner needs to know […]
New potatoes are abundant at this time of year and as well as being great boiled, they also bake very well. This layered potato pie will draw all the family round the table … Serves 2 – Preparation 15 minutes – Cooking 35 minutes Ingredients 450g new potatoes, scrubbed salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 onions, peeled, finely […]
“He who controls the high ground controls the battle,” goes the old military adage – and it doesn’t get much higher than La Rocca Calascio. Standing at 1,460 metres above sea level – that’s 300 metres higher than Ben Nevis – this medieval fortress provides a vantage point over huge swathes of land… Standing in […]
Think of it as Italian firewater? An end-of-meal tipple to be feared as much as revered? Paul Pettengale explains why quality grappa should be sipped and savoured… You know the drill. You’ve enjoyed your welcoming glass of prosecco. You’ve sampled a glass of white, maybe a glass of red with your six-plus course meal at […]
High in the hills overlooking Varese is one of the most remarkable hidden treasures you could wish to behold – the rarely seen frescoes of the Sacro Monte de Varese As far as hidden secrets go, the Sacro Monte di Varese appears like the central plot focus in a sequel to The Da Vinci Code. Situated […]